chap 5 software as a service (saass)

Chapter 5

SaaSSoftware as a Service

By Prof. Raj Sarode

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Introduction to SaaS• SaaS:

– Software as a service (SaaS) is a software distribution model in which a third-party provider hosts applications and makes them available to customers over the Internet.

Software as a service (SaaS) is a way of delivering applications over the Internet—as a service.

Instead of installing and maintaining software, you simply access it via the Internet, freeing yourself from complex software and hardware management.

SaaS applications are sometimes called Web-based software, on-demand software, or hosted software.

Whatever the name, SaaS applications run on a SaaS provider’s servers. The provider manages access to the application, including security, availability, and performance.

By Prof. Raj Sarode

By Prof. Raj Sarode 3

Characteristics of Software as a Service Configurability : Each site's administration interface has variable

configuration options including: network content access, simplified blog interface, social media extensions, and custom tool modules. These can be turned on or off on a per site basis with minimal effort and time.

Multi-tenant Efficiency: A multitenant architecture, in which all users and applications share a single, common infrastructure and code base that is centrally maintained.

Scalability: Plat formic employs a multi-tier architecture that implements a load balancer. System capacity can be adjusted by adding servers to match demand without having to modify the software architecture.

Enhanced Security: It is typically more secure than traditional systems. Saving Costs: The monthly or annual subscription fees paid by companies

for using SaaS apps are much easier to budget for. SaaS systems often come with the flexibility to change or cancel the subscription.

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Characteristics of Software as a Service Easy To Use: SaaS apps can be accessed through the Internet and a

number of mobile devices. The quality and consistency of user interfaces have also greatly improved in the past few years, and the adoptability learning curve is low.

Better Access: Improved access to data from any networked device while making it easier to manage privileges, monitor data use, and ensure everyone sees the same information at the same time.

Easy Customization: The ability for each user to easily customize applications to fit their business processes without affecting the common infrastructure. Because of the way SaaS is architected, these customizations are unique to each company or user and are always preserved through upgrades. Means SaaS providers can make upgrades more often, with less customer risk and much lower adoption cost.

Automatic updates: Rather than purchasing new software, customers can rely on a SaaS provider to automatically perform updates and patch management. This further reduces the burden on in-house IT staff.


Web Services• Web services are open standard (XML, SOAP, HTTP etc.) based Web

applications that interact with other web applications for the purpose of exchanging data.

• Web Services can convert your existing applications into Web-applications.• A web service is any piece of software that makes itself available over the

internet and uses a standardized XML messaging system. • Web services are XML-based information exchange systems that use the

Internet for direct application-to-application interaction. These systems can include programs, objects, messages, or documents.

• A web service is a collection of open protocols and standards used for exchanging data between applications or systems.


Web Services• To summarize, a complete web service is:• Is available over the Internet or private (intranet) networks• Uses a standardized XML messaging system• Is not tied to any one operating system or programming language• Is self-describing via a common XML grammar• Is discoverable via a simple find mechanism

• The basic standards for web services are:• XML (Extensible Markup Language)• SOAP (simple object access protocol)• WSDL (web services description language)• UDDI (universal description, discovery and integration)


Why Web Services?• Exposing the Existing Function on the network: It is a unit of managed code that can

be remotely invoked using HTTP. It can be activated using HTTP requests. Web services allows you to expose the functionality of your existing code over the network. Once it is exposed on the network, other application can use the functionality of your program.

• Interoperability: It allow various applications to talk to each other and share data & services among themselves. Other applications can also use the web services. E.g.- a VB or .NET application can talk to Java web services and vice versa. Web services are used to make the application platform and technology independent.

• Standardized Protocol: It use standardized industry standard protocol for the communication. All the four layers (Service Transport, XML Messaging, Service Description, and Service Discovery layers) use well-defined protocols in the web services protocol stack. This standardization of protocol stack gives the business many advantages such as a wide range of choices, reduction in the cost due to competition, and increase in the quality.

• Low Cost of Communication: It use SOAP over HTTP protocol, so you can use your existing low-cost internet for implementing web services. This solution is much less costly compared to proprietary solutions like EDI/B2B. Besides SOAP over HTTP, web services can also be implemented on other reliable transport mechanisms like FTP.


Web Services - Characteristics• XML-Based• Loosely Coupled• Coarse-Grained• Ability to be Synchronous or Asynchronous• Supports Remote Procedure Calls(RPCs)• Supports Document Exchange


Web Services Architecture• Web Service Roles

There are three major roles within the web service architecture:• Service Provider

This is the provider of the web service. The service provider implements the service and makes it available on the Internet.

• Service Requestor (Customer)This is any consumer of the web service. The requestor utilizes an existing web service by opening a network connection and sending an XML request.

• Service RegistryThis is a logically centralized directory of services. The registry provides a central place where developers can publish new services or find existing ones. It therefore serves as a centralized clearing house for companies and their services.


Web Services Architecture


Web 2.0• “Web 2.0 is the business revolution in the computer industry caused by the move

to the internet as a platform, and an attempt to understand the rules for success on that new platform.”– Tim O’ Reilly.

• It’s a simply improved version of the first world wide web, characterized specifically by the change from static to dynamic or user-generated content and also the growth of social media.

• Web 2.0 is the term given to describe a second generation of the World Wide Web that is focused on the ability for people to collaborate and share information online.

• Web 2.0 basically refers to the transition from static HTML Web pages to a more dynamic Web that is more organized and is based on serving Web applications to users.

• Other improved functionality of Web 2.0 includes open communication with an emphasis on Web-based communities of users, and more open sharing of information.

• Over time Web 2.0 has been used more as a marketing term than a computer-science-based term.

• Blogs, wikis, and Web services are all seen as components of Web 2.0.


Advantages of Web 2.0:• Available at any time, any place.• Variety of media.• Ease of usage.• Learners can actively be involved in knowledge building.• Can create dynamic learning communities.• Everybody is the author and the editor, every edit that has been made can

be tracked.• User friendly.• Updates in wiki are immediate and it offers more sources for researchers.• Provides real-time discussion.


Thank You